"We have received another urgent prayer request from our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, and I wanted to pass it along to you as soon as possible in light of the ongoing unrest across the country..." "...The overall situation in Ukraine remains tense, with protests now breaking out in the eastern half of the country, which has close cultural and historical ties to Russia. Until now, the majority of the violent protests have been concentrated in western Ukraine, where the majority of the people have wanted closer ties to Europe. The government imposed restrictive measures to clamp down on the protests, but violence still escalated, resulting in the deaths of at least four people in the past several days."

"Former Ukraine President Leonid Kravchuk expressed concerns Wednesday his country is on the brink of civil war. "There are parallel authorities in the country and there is a de-facto uprising," Kravchuk told parliament members Wednesday. "It is a revolution. It is a dramatic situation in which we must act with the greatest responsibility."

"...Kravchuk's warning comes after two months of protests against Ukraine's current president, Viktor Yanukovych."

"While Syrian peace talks tread water, violence in the country continues. Voice of the Martyrs USA has contact with a Christian school in Syria. According to a post on VOM’s Facebook page, rebel forces fired missiles at one of the school’s classrooms yesterday. "Thankfully, the students were outside at the time and no one was injured. "Praise God for sparing innocent students at this school. Pray for continued protection of those who follow Christ in Syria. Pray for an end to Syria’s everlasting violence."

"Fifteen Christians were detained on Friday after they attempted to bring food and medicine to another believer who was under house arrest.

"Nineteen church members from Holy Love Fellowship in Beijing, including church elder Xu Yonghai, went to the home of Zhang Wenhe, another church member, on Friday to have a bible study. Upon arrival, the group found that Zhang Wenhe was under house arrest at another location and that he was having heart problems.

"The Christians gathered food and medicine to take to Zhang Wenhe were he was being held. While taking the items to Zhang Wenhe, police officers from Liyuan, a town within Beijing’s Tongzhou District, detained 15 of the believers, including Xu Yonghai and a 14-year-old boy. The few who were not taken into custody were elderly, sick or disabled.

"By midnight Friday, after all the written records of the detainment were finished, the Christians still had not been released. Xu Yonghai’s wife told ChinaAid that she wasn’t able to reach her husband and that his cell phone was turned off.

"ChinaAid learned that police denied the believers food until very late in the evening, when the police finally gave into the detainees’ protests. The Christians were given two steamed rolls each."

"More than 100 Muslim extremists on Tanzania’s semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar stormed a church following an evening worship service on Jan. 11 and beat a visiting preacher, sources said. The mob, including suspected members of Islamic extremist groups, meant to attack the Pentecostal Evangelism Fellowship of Africa (PEFA) congregation’s senior pastor, Bishop Daniel Kwilemba, who was not present at the church site in Kisauni village, outside Zanzibar City. Instead, they found a preacher visiting from the Tanzania mainland – William Saidi of the Free Pentecostal Church in Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, church leaders said. " “These rowdy Muslims were shouting and yelling, saying, ‘We are looking for the bishop of the church to slaughter him – we are tired of the existence of this church near our mosque and the noise they are making,’” said a church elder. "The mob fled when police arrived and rescued the pastor after he had suffered multiple contusions for which he is still taking medication, sources said. The assailants tore his shirt and suit coat. "Since the attack, the Muslim extremists have been issuing threats that the church should leave the area near Zanzibar City, capital of the semi-autonomous island in the Indian Ocean about 25 kilometers (16 miles) off the coast of Tanzania, sources said. A church member added that the congregation has been living in fear for their lives.

From what the ministry leaders told Christian Aid Mission, it is true. Literally thousands of Syrians from traditional Muslim backgrounds are turning to Jesus Christ. It’s not an inflating of the numbers, nor is it an optimistic estimate.Here are some responses from three of the ministries that Christian Aid Mission assists in the region—headquartered in Lebanon, Turkey, and Iraq.

Of the Syrians that you are helping, and who are showing an interest in Christ, what makes you believe they are truly becoming Christians? What would indicate to you that a Syrian Muslim had definitely become a Christian?Turkey: We cannot know exactly the truth, but we can understand it through their behavior. They read the Bible in their own language, even when people from the church are not around them. They prepare questions and ask the pastor. They think of God when they are alone and they try to tell about it to their relatives in Syria. However, we don’t know whether they will live as a Muslim or not when they are back in their country. But as I said before, the ones I see even until now are sincere.What would indicate to us that a Syrian Muslim had become a Christian would be:1. Women taking their scarves off.2. Letting their kids join the Bible lessons. People don’t let their kids learn a belief they don’t accept, since kids are ready to learn easily.3. Giving up some habits in their lives, like drugs and lying. And they confess their sins.Iraq: God knows people’s hearts to start with, but we determine they are Christians by:1. Professions of faith—The decision to follow Christ in these circumstances means the person has sentenced himself to death and makes himself likely to be killed at any moment. So they know very well the consequences.2. The amount of questions they are asking about our Christian faith and comparing it to Islam3. Their involvement in the church attendance and church activities4. The desire to study the Bible and memorize it5. The willingness to share their faith with others and talk about Jesus and His miracles in their lives6. Involving their kids in the children’s programs, reading and doing Bible homework7. The desire to obey the Lord in baptism and in sharing the Lord’s SupperLebanon: When they become followers of Jesus you can see a huge difference in their lives. … The way they share their faith sometimes would help us determine how they are thinking. After all, God looks inside the heart and knows all the details. We also can determine [their heart] because last year we had more than 1,200 baptisms. Do you think a Muslim would get baptized just to get a food package?

"African church leaders are urging parties in the South Sudanese conflict to respect places of worship, after rebels attacked and looted church compounds in the town of Malakal.The Roman Catholic Cathedral of Malakal was looted at gunpoint, forcing priests and civilians to flee, a regional church leader said.Catholic and Presbyterian churches, a hospital and an orphanage have become safe havens for refugees escaping the fighting in the city..."

"...“We urge the fighters to respect the places of worship,” said the Rev. Ferdinand Lugonzo, general secretary of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa. “They should not force out civilians who already feel safe in the church compounds.

" ”Churches have been providing aid to victims of the conflict with support from international relief organizations. As of Jan. 18, the Catholic cathedral in the town was harboring 6,500 refugees."The U.N. compound is hosting an additional 20,000. More than 600,000 people have been displaced in the fighting countrywide."

"A Baptist pastor and his son were killed on Tuesday at their home in Bangui as violence escalated in the northern suburbs of the city.

"The Central African Republic has been beset by violence since March last year, when a coalition of rebel groups, led by Michel Djotodia under the Séléka banner, drove out President Francois Bozizé in a coup.

"Though Séléka has been officially disbanded as of September 2013, members have continued their attacks – raping, looting and murdering innocent civilians – which has inspired an opponent faction to rise up under the name anti-Balaka.

"Violence between the two groups has spread throughout the country, resulting in 200,000 people being internally displaced, while an estimated 20,000 have fled the country. Thousands have lost their lives.

"Pastor Kongbo, treasurer of the Union des Eglises Baptistes (UEB) and his son were killed by Séléka forces who have been fighting against the anti-Balaka in the northern outskirts of Bangui since 21 January.

"Though French troops are in the area and trying to bring peace, civilians have still been forced to seek refuge in churches."

"After three days of talks to find a solution to the Syria conflict, here’s what’s been accomplished: nothing."According to the United Nations, things are so tense that negotiators couldn’t even agree on aid for trapped Internally Displaced People (IDPs) into the besieged city of Homs."Meanwhile, as the civil conflict prompted millions to flee, the World Food Program estimates needing close to $2 billion to assist more than 7 million Syrians in urgent need of food assistance in 2014. These include 4.25 million people inside Syria and over 2.9 million refugees in neighboring countries. An estimated 5,000 Syrians are leaving daily and wondering when, if ever, they will be able to safely return to their homeland."Christian Aid Mission, your link to indigenous missions, is stepping up its efforts to help alleviate the suffering and bring hope in the midst of desperate circumstances. Steve Van Valkenberg with Christian Aid says, “For Christians who have been praying for a way to show Christ’s love to Muslims, this is a great opportunity for Christians to be lights.” "

Please read House Passes Bill to Completely Ban Taxpayer Funding of Abortions, by Steven Ertelt, at Life News."The House today approved legislation that will put in place a complete ban on taxpayer funding of abortions that ensures abortions are not directly funded in any federal governmental program or department. "The legislation combines several policies that must be enacted every year in Congressional battles and puts them into law where they will not be in jeopardy of being overturned every time Congress changes hands from pro-life lawmakers to those who support abortions. "The House voted 227-188 for the bill with 221 Republicans and 6 Democrats voting to ban taxpayer funding of abortions under HR7 while 187 Democrats and one Republican voted against it."

Please read Imprisoned Pastor May Win Clemency from Iran, by Jordan Sekulow, at Charisma Today."There is a glimmer of hope for American Pastor Saeed Abedini – a U.S. citizen imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith. In an interview with CNN, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was directly asked about Pastor Saeed. His answer provides the first glimmer of hope for Pastor Saeed’s freedom."~~~~~~~~~~The response has been overwhelming. American Pastor Saeed has been imprisoned for his faith, tortured by Iran, and separated from his wife and kids for 492 days. He is literally in chains for the gospel, but now there is a glimmer of hope. Iran has indicated that clemency – release – could be a possibility for Pastor Saeed. He needs our voice now more than ever. Tens of thousands of you are stepping up in a big way. In less than 48 hours, over 84,000 have signed our new petition. Yet we need hundreds of thousands more. Now is a critical opportunity. We must not let this moment of hope pass us by. We must not be silent. Sign Our Urgent Petition Demanding Clemency for Pastor Saeed. Jordan Sekulow, ACLJ Executive Director ~~~~~~~~~~

There is a glimmer of hope for Pastor Saeed, a U.S. citizen imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith.Iran's foreign minister, speaking to CNN about Pastor Saeed, said, "We have various clemency measures in Iran that can be introduced, happened in the past, can be introduced again in these cases."Is clemency possible? Could Pastor Saeed be released?

Because of you, Pastor Saeed's name has been raised at the highest levels of international diplomacy; now we're calling on you with a very specific appeal.

Let's take Iran's foreign minister at his word. Let's ask for clemency for Pastor Saeed.Now is the time to speak with one voice. Iran, grant clemency. Send Pastor Saeed home to Idaho. Sign our NEW petition at the Be Heard website. Let's build on this moment of hope.Sign Our New Petition Urging Clemency for Pastor Saeed.

Trials make the promise sweet; Trials give new life to prayer; Trials bring me to His feet, Lay me low, and keep me there.

"God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains His soldiers not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and subjecting them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many long miles with heavy backpacks of sorrow. Well, Christian, may this not account for the troubles through which you are passing? Is the Lord bringing out your graces and making them grow? Is it for this reason He contends with you?"